Improvement in mowing-machines



`C. WHEELER, lr.

Muwing-Machine.

Patented .lluly 13,18175.

L MM 2 lg i Ld! vWLm/.Smm/ l UMTED STATES A'rENr @Errea oYnEEUs WHEELER,Jn., oE AUBURN, NEW YORK. i

lMPROVMENTlN MOWlNG-.MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l65A6l, dated July 13,1875; application filed March 17, 1875.

To all whom -it may concern:

Be it known that I, CYREnUs WHEELER, Jr., of Auburn, in the county ofCayuga and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Combined or Interchangeable Beaping and Mowing Machines;and that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of themachine as it appears when adapted for mowing, reference being had totheaecompanying drawings, inaking a part of this specification, inwhich- Figure l represents in perspective the machine asit appears whenarranged for mowing. Figs. 2 and 3 represent portions of the machinedetached, to better show their forms and co-operative parts.

The subject-matter of this application relates to the machine asarranged for mowing;

and the invention consists in the several combinations of devices, ashereinafter particularly stated, for adapting the machine to the mowingof grass or other crops, as will be ex plained.

ln lthe drawing, A represents a frontframe, and B a rear frame.` Themain axle G passes through a sleeve or boss on the frame A, and theframe B is hinged to bosses or bearings on the sleeve of the frame A, sothat both frames may move, one independent of the other, but alwaysabout the main axle U as a center of motion. rlhe main axle C issupported and carried infthe main driving and supporting wheels D D',the perimeters of which are furnished with two sets of lags, a and b-theformer to give a better hold upon the ground, the latter to prevent themachine from slipping downward when working on inclined ground. Theplatform E is hinged to the front or gear frame A, so as to be readilyraised to get at the gearing, which is covered by it, for oiling, Src.On the rear portion of the cover or platform is a tool-box, protected bya hinged cover, j, and a catch or hasp, 7o, fastened to the frame A,passes up through the platform E, through the tool-box, and through thelid or cover j, where it is caught by a hook or keeper, Z, so that onefastening secures the cover and platform in place. Upon the platform Eis fastened an angular abutment, F, in or against which the seatsupportGr and the seat H are sustained. The pole I is fastened to the frame A,and the draft-bars J are bolted thereto, as shown in the drawing. Thefinger-bar, guards, and cutters are shown in the drawi-ngs, and need nospecial description, as they are well known and understood. The outsidedivider N is made adjustable on the sub-shoe N by means of a bolt goinginto one of the series of holes r. The track-clearer T is pivoted to theshoe N, as seen in the drawing, and a slide or bolt, c, on thetrack-clearer may be set so as to take upon any one of the shoulders 1upon the rear ofthe shoe N, so that while said track-clearer cannot drophelow the particular shoulder it is adjusted to or for, it is free torise above that point whenever forced I to do so by the grass. There isan .eye or ring, 2, on one o f the lingers of thev track-clearer, fortaking over a support, w, on the pole I, when the machine is folded upfor transporta.- tion to or from the eld. To the rear of thecutter-frame B, which is of cast metal, and near to the inside'wheel D,I bolt a Y-shaped piece, W, of wrought-iron, and, by means ofwrought-iron cross-braces X Y, firmly unite this piece W to the rearpart of the frame B. As this pieceW has mainly to support the cuttingmechanism and its appliances, it is necessary that it should be ofwrought-iron, and of strength sufficient to' endure the strain it issubjected to. Z is a coupling-piece, through which the cutting mechanismis united to the wrought-iron piece W; and as this coupling-piece servesother purposes-viz., as a shield and support for a raising and loweringmechanism, and for a gagging mechanismit is made of cast-iron, owing toits shape and form. The coupling-piece Z is connected to thewrought-iron piece W by a bolt, z, which serves as a pivot, about whichthe frame and the coupling-piece may move as occasion may require. In arecess formed in the face of the coupling-piece, next to the cuttingapparatus, is securely fastened a sustaining plate or yoke, A', fromwhich project two downwardly-bent arms, B', one at each end thereof, andt0 the lower ends of these bent arms the inside shoe I3 is pivoted bybolts b passing through the arms B and through lugs c c', cast upon orwith said shoe P. As the shoe P supports and carries the finger-bar,cutting apparatus, outside divider, and track-clearer, all these partscan rise and fall about the pivotal points b as a center, even tofolding up the cutting apparatus thereon, so as to carry it on oragainst the frame of the machine. In the coupling-piece Z, and behindthe plate Af, there is supported, so as to turn freely, a shaft, d',which has a crank-arnnc, attached to one of its ends, and lying withinthe hollow portion of the coupling-piece, and to thc end of thiscrankarm e is attached a chain, j", which is connected to the vibratingbeam E', pivoted to a standard, F, at thc point g', said standard beingcast with or upon the front frame A of the machine. On the opposite endof the shaft d, from and at right angles to the arm e, is anothercrank-arm, L, which is connected bya lilik, i', to a gag-lever, j',pivoted by one of the bolts b, and so made as to take upon the heel ofythe inside shoe P, and gag up the finger-bar and cutting apparatus, thisgagging apparatus or mechanism heilig operated from the drivers seat H,through or by means of the lever G and the vibrating beam E. 'The leverl is arranged for tipping the points of the lingers; it is curvedrearward and downward, and pivoted to the frame B underneath and alittle in advance of a vertical plane through the main axle C. On thelever l there is a sprii1gbolt,o, operated by a thumblever, 9, and arod, l0, and said bolt, when raised, swings over an arc-piece, w', alsoattached to the frame B, but above the` main axle C, the lever pivotalconnection being below it. The bolt c', when dropped into any one of thenotches in the arc-piece fw', holds the finger-bar in the position intowhich it has been tipped by the lever l. rlhe operator, through thelifting-lever G', can raise up the cutter-frame until its projection 1j/comes.

against the stop x on the frame A, which defines or limits the extent ofthe upward moltion of said frame 5 and when these two parts fr y arebrought together, and the raising motion of the lever G is continued,the outer end of the finger bar is gagged up, and can be so held up orlet down, at pleasure, by the mechanism above described. The box portionof the gear-frame vA extends some distance behind the vertical plane ofthe main axle, about which it, as well as the rear fra-me, swings. Therear of this box portion is slotted, as at 15, so that the forward partof the sleeve or frame B, that incloses the crankshaft, and as seen at16, may enter and play through, and at the same time be laterallysupported by the sides of said slot or opening. This gives the rearframe additional strength or ability to resist the heavy strains thatmust be borne by the rear frame, and at a different point from thatimmediately at'and around the main axle. By means of the connectingrodq, attached to an arm, r', fast on the coupling-piece Z, and projectingrearward therefrom, and to a lug, s, on the lever I', the tipping of thepoints ot' the'guards or fingers may be accomplished. vThe lever I,though pivoted to the frame B at 8, is forward of the main axle C, aboutwhich the two frames vibrate.

l/Vhat I claim is- ,1. The gag-leverj, incombination with the lever G',vibrating beam E', rocking bar d', and its vcrank-arms e and h', andchain and link attachment, so as to be operated by the driver from hisseat, substantially as described.

2. Thevpendent gag mf, attached to the frame A, in combination with theprojection y on the frame B, to limit the free upward motion of frame B,as described and represented.

3. The hinged coupling-piece Z, for connecting the cutting apparatus tothe cutter-fra1ne, th`e said coupling serving also as a shield for thearm e and rock-shaft-d, as described and represented.

4. The combination of the frame B, wroughtiron Y-shaped frame W, andcross-braces X Y, to form a support for the coupling-piece Z, as and forthe purpose described.

5. The construction of the gear-box, p rojectin g rearward ofthe mainaxle, and slotted, as at 15, to allow the sleeve B to enter and playthrough, as and for the purpose described and represented.

6. rBhe quadrant or arc W on the rear frame, but projected over andforward of the axle C, in combination with the lever I', hinged to therear frame below the axle, so as to bring said lever Within convenientreach ot' the driver upon his seat, as and for the purpose described andrepresented.

`7. The slotted abutment F, in combination with the seat-support G, forthe purpose ot trausposing, reversing, -andholding the seat,substantiallyas and for the purpose described.

8. rlhe rod q', in combination with the lever I and arm r on thecoupling-piece Z, for the purpose of tipping the points of the guards orrocking the cutting apparatus about the pivotal rod or bar z, asdescribed.

9. The gear-cover E and tool-box coverj, separately hinged, but bothfastened by the same hook orhasp 7c l, as described and shown.

GYRENUS XVHEELER, Jn. Vvlitnesses:

A. B. SToUGHToN, EDMUND MAssoN.

